Juliet stood up from the sofa with a sad smile after a few minutes and went into the kitchen to get some fruits.
She opened her fridge and pulled out the vegetable basket, but a wave of grief overtook her. She had to pull the basket back into its place and shut the fridge. Juliet left the kitchen and went to the balcony, sitting on the cane chair she recently put there.
She hadn’t realized how much she missed Kurt until she heard his voice that evening. She missed everything about him; his touch, his smile, the way he loved her. Above all, she missed his companionship.
The first few weeks without him were awful, to say the least. The journey had been so lonely. Apart from her sister, she didn’t have any close friends. All her friends were married and her friendships with them sort of fizzled out.
Many nights she would lie awake, finding it difficult to sleep. She would turn and toss from the ache of loneliness for hours before falling asleep.
It was only the thought of her unborn child that had kept her strong.
*******”
Juliet pressed the send button to her boss, and that signaled the end of her job for the week. A smile played on her lips, knowing weekends meant better rest for her. Without warning, she felt the tension in her shoulders dripped down to her back. Groaning, she tried to readjust herself into a position that usually offered her back some relief. Juliet was seven and half months gone already and looking very heavy.
She had gotten up feeling queasy in the morning and even threw up while having her bath. Juliet was tempted to call in sick but had to fight against that thought as she remembered the two reports she was yet to finish.
She was about to leave her office to use the restroom when she remembered she needed to call her cousin, Lilian.
Lilian started living with her five weeks ago. Juliet’s mom had insisted that it was not safe for her to be alone with her advancing pregnancy.
Having Lilian around has been a great experience so far for Juliet. She felt less lonely and eats better now; since Lilian had taken over the job of feeding her and the girl was such an excellent cook.
Juliet picked her phone and dialed Lilian’s number.
“Hello aunty,” Lilian answered at the second dial.
“I don’t want rice again,” Juliet said.
Lilian had called about two hours earlier to ask her what she wanted for dinner. She had told her she wanted rice and stir-fry. But now, she was craving potatoes and gravy.
“No problems,” Lilian giggled.
“Okay,” Juliet stifled a yawn. “Thank you. See you later.” She said and disconnected the line.
When Juliet drove into her compound about two hours later, she found Kurt’s car parked in front of her apartment.
Goosebumps ran over her body as she brought her car to a stop behind his car. “What is Kurt doing here?” She thought to herself as she got out of her car.
She pressed the doorbell and waited for Lilian to open the door. But it was Kurt who opened it.
Time stood still for him. He did not prepare himself for the onslaught of emotions that went through him on seeing Juliet after months.
His mouth suddenly went dry. Juliet looked so beautiful even in pregnancy.
The last few months without her had been very very agonizing for him. He’d buried himself in work, trying all he could to forget her. But it was just impossible for him, no matter how much he tried. Her thoughts would always find a way to creep into his mind every day.
Now, he knew he can’t live without her, he just had to make things work between them.
“Hey.” He said, finally able to talk.
“Hey,” she replied.
“How have you been?”
“I’m fine,” she answered tentatively. “Come on in,” he smiled. He took her hand and pulled her in gently.
As soon as he shut the door behind them, Kurt said, “Juliet, I still love you. I’m back.”
Juliet’s heart thudded hard as she tried to understand what he was saying.
“I still love you,” he said again. These past months without you have been hell on earth for me. I can’t live like that anymore, I need you in my life.”
“You still want me?” She looked into his eyes with a mixture of shock and confusion.
“Yes.” He nodded, a smile played at the corner of his mouth. “I was mad at you. I was jealous. The thought of you being intimate with another man drove me crazy, but now I have made peace with all of that.” He exhaled deeply and kissed her knuckles.
“Oh Kurt,” was all she could say.
“I want us to take care of this baby together.” He cupped her face and made her look at him. “I want to be with you and you alone for the rest of my life, Juliet. Will you still have me, please?”
She sighed and melted into his embrace. She was quiet for a few seconds. When she pulled away to look into his face, she asked, “are you for real?”
“Babe, yes. I’m willing to do everything and anything to have you by my side forever.” His voice shook at this point. She had never seen him speak with so much emotion.
“I love you,” he continued. “With all my heart, you are my sunshine, the light in my darkness. Please, come back to me.”
It was the most incredible feeling for Juliet; hearing that he wanted to be with her, even in her condition.
Warmth spread through her body for the first time in months.
She looped her arms around his neck, looked up into his eyes and said, “yes, yes, I want to be with you.”
Tony lifted her head and claimed her mouth in a kiss. It was much more intense than any kiss they’ve shared before.
When they finally pulled apart, Juliet mouthed the words, thank you. And wrapped her arms around him.
Juliet could not imagine in her wildest dreams that he could come back, that he could still love, especially in her condition.
“You look so beautiful,” he sat on the nearest sofa and pulled her onto his lap and placed his hand on her baby bump.
She smiled and placed her hand on his hand. “I have missed you,” she told him.
“Me too.” He growled into her ear and placed a second hand on the other side of her bump.
Juliet smiled into his eyes and burst into tears of joy.
Seven weeks later, he was with her in the labor room during the birth of her son, whom they named Mathew. Four months after Mathew’s birth, Tony and Juliet got married in an intimate ceremony.
Tasha yawned and stretched her body on the bed as she came to the end of the story. She smiled to herself. She liked how the story ended beautifully. She reached out and put off the light.